Exercise To Stay Fit & Functional

The hippocampus is a curved structure deep inside the brain's medial temporal lobe responsible for memory and spatial navigation. The bigger it is, the better it works, as a study published in the journal Hippocampus points out. Researchers analyzed the MRIs of 165 older adults and discovered that higher levels of physical fitness were directly associated with greater cognitive abilities and larger hippocampus brain structures.

The Bigger Picture: However you want to think about it, keeping up with a regular program of strength and endurance training is the key to long-term fitness and function. What exercise does for you today in terms of weight management and athletic performance might turn into even greater benefits down the road, as this study illustrates.